Women in the Workplace

With 40% of women wanting to further address diversity in the workplace, it’s essential to increase awareness about the challenges and benefits for women in business.

Continuing our International Women’s Day series, today we’re speaking to Hamida Said-Omar. Hamida is an Online Retail Manager at FOREO, a brand committed to bringing a new standard of high-end beauty solutions to a wider audience than ever before.

Tell us about a woman who has inspired you.

My mum will be one of them as she has shown me strength from being married at an early age to move to France and raised my sister, brother and I in a foreign country. It was not easy as my dad was travelling, she also lost 2 sons and her parents but yet she keeps on smiling and give us the strength to keep on going no matter, in brief life is worth living even at the lowest moments.

Does being a female in digital today come with extra challenges ?

Oh yes, I now have been in the digital world since 2005 and yes, it is easier for men than women in this world. Of course now it is slightly better but men will always find it challenging to have women in digital as if only men can read data, build or run a website, make decisions and so on.

What key advice did you receive early in your career that has stayed with you?

Manage upwards meaning manage expectation you will always have someone undermining you, or disregard your work or ideas, best way it’s to manage up always provide the why and benefits of your work, plan or ideas.

What’s the single biggest issue facing women in the workplace right now?

Not being heard, how many times I have found myself in meetings surrounded by men and come up with ideas that will not be recognised but eventually used as it was their ideas.

This post is part of a wider series celebrating International Women’s Day. Click on the following links to read the full interviews from Tera, Jamie, Tania and the panel.